Google+ Jack Leslie F1: F1 drivers share thoughts on standing restart proposal

25 June 2014

F1 drivers share thoughts on standing restart proposal

Several Formula 1 drivers shared their thoughts on the proposed new rule to introduce standing restarts over the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.
© Octane Photographic
The plan, which is aimed to improve the spectacle of the sport, is understood to have been approved by the F1 Commission and will be sent to the FIA World Motor Sport Council for ratification, before it can be added to the 2015 regulations.

I hadn't heard about the potential change of procedure until the Friday of the race and was surprised by the unusual and rather unnecessary potential new system.

It would mean lapped cars are able to unlap themselves before the whole field then forms on the grid for a standing restart, in the same style of the current starts.

I am not a fan of the rule and agree with some of the drivers, who have raised safety concerns. "To be 100% honest I am not a big fan of that,” Romain Grosjean said when asked about the proposal.

"When you are leading the race and you get a safety car, it is already quite hard and you lose all of your advantage. If it is a restart, I don’t know if they are going to change tyres or not.

"If they don’t, safety is going to be tricky because the tyres may be very old and cold, so if they do change, then the idea is to stay out until the safety car. I don’t know. I think we need to improve the show but maybe in a different way."

Nico Rosberg also commented: "Has it been proposed? Yes? That sounds very extreme. I understand that the start is one of the most exciting times for the fans, but that sounds very extreme so I hope it is not going to be done, because that is going too far with things."

When asked if it will make the spectacle better, Daniel Ricciardo replied: "Is it happening? Proposed for next year? I don’t think so. Maybe more exciting because there is a bit more variability with the standing start. But, for me, that is a bit too artificial.

"I think if you are leading the race by 10 seconds, you lose your advantage that you have built up, but at least you keep your position. But you still do lose something. If it goes to a standing start, the chance of having not a great start is pretty high, so you could go from first to even fourth. It is just a bit too much of a disadvantage basically for someone who obviously had the lead in the first place.

"I think they can find something better. Single file restarts are not too bad; at least it bunches everyone up. I don’t think it is too bad how it is. For the spectator’s, it would be better, yes, but probably not the most fair idea."

Pastor Maldonado added: "It depends which point of view you have. When you are at the back, for sure it is better, and when you are at the front, for sure it is not good enough. It is the same for everyone."

Jenson Button also raised doubts over the change. "The standing restart idea is great for the fans," he said. "It puts on a great show because the start is a very exciting part of the race.

"The thing is, though, when you start a race you have new tyres. You could find yourself with five or six laps to go at a restart and with your tyres virtually bald at a time when you need flat-out laps to keep heat in them.

"So you would really struggle off the line, and it would be very tricky for us all to keep the cars pointing in the same direction off the start. It could cause mayhem. 

"It would make for better television I'm sure, but there has to be a rule about the tyres, that maybe you have to pit, I don't know. I like the idea in one way, but it would be tricky for everyone if we were on very old tyres and it's cold."

Lewis Hamilton hadn't even heard of the standing restart proposal when he was asked, but the Brit did admit that he wants drivers to be more involved in decision making.

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